20 Years
by Kaylalicious
Summary: It's been 20 years since Catherine and Grissom have seen each other. Has everything changed? CHAPTER 7 and EPILOGUE NOW UP! COMPLETE!
1. Unexpected Passenger

It's been twenty years since they've seen each other. Has everything changed?

Catherine Willows sat staring out the window of the Indianapolis-bound plane, mentally assessing her itinerary for the next day. _Seminar in the hotel conference room at 10 o'clock. Lunch with the day shift supervisor from Gary at 12:30. What was his name? Peter…Jackson? Peter Jacobs? Oh, I'll find out tomorrow. _Suddenly, Catherine felt someone sit down next to her. _Crap. I was hoping I'd have the row to myself._ She quickly glanced at the man seated next to her, not bothering to introduce herself. She wasn't in the mood for niceties. Her thoughts returned to her busy schedule and she closed her eyes, hoping she might drift off and sleep throughout the flight. All of a sudden, a voice jarred her from her thoughts.

"Cath?"

Startled, she turned towards the man occupying the seat next to her. "Huh?" she questioned. Then her jaw dropped and her crystal blue eyes widened. _Oh gosh. Oh…gosh._

The man chuckled lightly. "I thought that was you Catherine."

It took Catherine a few moments to recover from the shock of who was sitting next to her: Gil Grissom.

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"Gil!", Catherine exclaimed, eyes still wide from surprise.

The corners of Grissom's mouth turned upward slightly as he struggled to suppress the urge to grin from ear to ear. "Hello Cath."

For once in her life, Catherine was completely speechless. Her heart began pounding at the realization that she was sitting next to Grissom, a man she hadn't seen for 20 years. Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around Gil in an embrace that closed whatever gaps had been wrought in their relationship during the two decades they spent apart.

As soon as he felt Catherine's arms wrap around him, Grissom slid his arms around her, pressing her to his chest. He breathed in her scent, memories flooding his mind. "_Strawberry and vanilla" _he thought, "_Just like always."_ He smiled softly, slowly running his right hand up and down her back. They stayed like that for several minutes.

Finally, Catherine reluctantly pulled back and looked at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I never thought I'd see you again" she said, her voice breaking.

Grissom gently took hold of her hand, unsure of what to say. When he didn't speak, Catherine broke the silence. "You never wrote, never called, never even sent me an e-mail!" Gil could tell Catherine was beginning to get upset. She continued, her voice slightly louder than before, "I didn't know if you were still in South America or if you were back in the states . . . if you were alive or d-"

Gil cut her off. "Catherine." _Goodness, she was still so beautiful. She had aged remarkably well. _"I'm sorry."

By this time, Catherine was over her shock of being reunited with her oldest friend, and her joy was being overwhelmed by the pain she had suffered over the years. "Why?" she asked.

Grissom looked at her cautiously. "Pardon?"

Sighing heavily, Catherine turned to face him once again. "Why didn't you keep in touch?"

Glancing down to his lap, where his hand still held hers, he said softly, "Because keeping in touch would have only made me miss you more."


	2. What about Cath?

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing. All rights go to their respective creators/owners.

Sighing heavily, Catherine turned to face him once again. "Why didn't you keep in touch?"

Glancing down to his lap, where his hand still held hers, he said softly, "Because keeping in touch would have only made me miss you more."

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Catherine cleared her throat, and she spoke carefully. "You know, I missed you a hell of a lot too, Grissom. But I would've kept in touch!" she added teasingly.

Grissom laughed at this, before seriously adding, "I'm sorry Cath."

"Gil….it's alright."

"But still, I should-" Catherine cut him off.

"So what have you been up to? Anything new in the last 20 years?" she asked, raising one eyebrow as only she could.

"Oh no", Gil replied, "You first. Tell me about your life."

Chuckling, Catherine asked, "Well what do you want to know?"

Gil looked deep into Catherine's eyes. "Everything."

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Settling back into her seat, Catherine squeezed Gil's hand gently before letting go. "Well, you already know I took over as night shift supervisor when you…when you left."

Grissom nodded his head in reply. _Her hair wasn't strawberry blond anymore. It was lighter and blonder, but it was still past her shoulders. It was still beautiful._

Catherine continued, "I stayed night shift supervisor for eight years."

"Eight years? That's it?" Grissom questioned.

"Well, yeah. I wasn't getting any younger, and the night life was beginning to wear me out," Catherine replied with a wink. "So Nick took my position, and I became day shift supervisor."

"Nick Stokes?" Grissom asked skeptically.

"Yeah," Cath said, "He really became one heck of a CSI. Anyhow, I moved to days. Stayed in that position for five years."

"And then?"

"Then….I quit."

Eyebrows raised in surprise, Grissom replied, "I see. And what do you do now?"

Smirking, Catherine said, "What makes you think I do anything now?"

"Because I know you."

Catherine studied Gil's face for a minute. _He looks much older; his hair is completely gray. And look at those lines around his eyes…but my gosh. He is still incredibly handsome. _"You're right Gil. I went back to school to get the necessary degrees, and now I teach a Criminology course at the University of Nevada."

"You're kidding."

Catherine laughed and smiled. "Nope. Honest. I'm a college professor, and I love every minute of it."

This time it was Grissom's turn to smile. "You've come a long way Cath. Stripper-"

Catherine interrupted. "For Pete's sake Gil, I was an exotic dancer!"

Throwing up his hands in surrender, Gil continued. "_Exotic Dancer_; CSI who rose through the ranks; supervisor of an entire lab; now you are _Professo_r Willows." Placing his hand on her knee, he told her, "I'm proud of you."

Not wanting to get teary eyed again, Catherine lightheartedly said, "You should be! You know I worked my ass off to get where I am."

"And what a fine ass that is."

Catherine felt her face redden at his words. She had forgotten how their playful banter often concealed innuendo, but apparently he hadn't. She looked down where his hand still rested on her knee. "Gee, thanks Gil," she managed to say.

Grissom chuckled at her obvious embarrassment before suddenly remembering to ask about the most important aspect of Catherine's life. "What about Lindsay?"

Cath looked up abruptly, "What about her?"

Pursing his lips, Gil looked pointedly at the woman next to him.

"Oh!" Catherine realized what he meant. "Oh."

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_Love it? Hate it? Your thoughts and opinions would be greatly appreciated. Should I continue?_


	3. Lindsay

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing. All rights go to their respective creators/owners.

Thanks to everyone for the reviews and encouragement! I truly appreciate it.

"What about Lindsay?"

Cath looked up abruptly, "What about her?"

Pursing his lips, Gil looked pointedly at the woman next to him.

"Oh!" Catherine realized what he meant. "Oh."

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When Catherine didn't say anything, Gil began to worry. "Is she okay Cath?" _Surely nothing had happened to Lindsay._

"She…well. Let's just say I _never _pictured her ending up where she has."

Fearing the worst, a lump formed in Grissom's throat. "Catherine, tell me."

"Lindsay…," Catherine paused to glance at the worried look playing across Gil's face. Then she grinned. "She went and made me a grandmother!"

At hearing this, Gil rolled his eyes and slapped Catherine's thigh. "God Cath, you had me scared!"

"Sorry Gil," Catherine laughed, "But I was just being honest. I never pictured my baby being a mother."

"I assume you have pictures of Lindsay and her…family?"

Reaching into her purse, Catherine pulled out her leopard print wallet. "Of course I have pictures." She handed a photograph to Gil. "That's Lindsay and her husband, Tyler."

Gil marveled at the photograph in his hands. "Oh Cath, she's beautiful."

Catherine smiled. She knew it was true. Lindsay had her mother's naturally trim figure and bright blue eyes, but as she gotten older, her once blond hair had turned dark brown, like Eddie's. "She is, isn't she?"

"She looks like you Cath."

Catherine blushed once again. "Yeah, I guess she does."

Grissom looked at the photograph a few more seconds before asking, "What do her and her husband do?"

"Well, Tyler is a farmer. He makes a pretty good living; he owns 2400 acres in Nebraska."

Grissom cut in, "They don't live in Vegas?"

"Nope. Lindsay had enough of Vegas as a kid to last several lifetimes."

Gil nodded understandingly. "And Lindsay?"

"Lindsay is a fourth-grade teacher. She loves her job and her students so much." Catherine then pulled out a photograph of four children. "And these are my grandchildren."

Stunned, Grissom stated more than asked, "She has four children?"

Beaming, Catherine said, "Yep!" She pointed to the youngest child, a cherub faced boy, in the photograph. "This is Carter. He'll be three next month." She moved her finger to point to a little girl with rosy cheeks, who happened to be missing a front tooth. "This is Megan. She's six and as sweet as can be."

"Megan looks like her father."

"Oh, she's the spitting image of him." She moved on to another child. "This is Landon. He's nine. Painfully shy, but still a great kid."

Grissom couldn't resist. "Shy? He certainly didn't get that from your side of the family."

Catherine raised an eyebrow, daring Gil to continue. Wisely, Gil chose to remain mum. Catherine then pointed to the fourth child in the pictures. "And this…this is the oldest. Cate."

"Cate?"

Catherine grinned. "Yessir."

"Named after you I presume…."

"Well of course she was!"

Gil studied the picture of Cate. Red hair, bright blue eyes, creamy skin. "Cath, she looks…"

"Exactly like me," Catherine said knowingly. "I know. She looks more like me than even Lindsay did." She smiled as she said this. "Unfortunately for Ty and Linds, she _acts _just like me too."

"What do you mean?" Grissom asked.

Shifting her body slightly so she was facing Grissom, Catherine answered, "Well, for starters, she has my temper."

Gil pretended to shudder at the mention of Cath's infamous temper, but she didn't notice. "She already knows how to charm people. Thirteen years old and she already has half the boys in her school wrapped around her finger!"

"You do realize I was never 'wrapped around your finger'?" Grissom asked nonchalantly.

Catherine snorted. "Yeah. Sure Gil. Whatever helps you sleep at night."

"It's true!", he insisted, "It was just that I always enjoyed giving in to your demands."

Catherine cocked her head. "Did you now?"

This time it was Grissom's turn to blush. _That sounded far worse than it was meant to… _"You know what I meant Catherine," he said sternly.

Chuckling, she responded, "Oh I know alright." She winked at him. _Did he just blush? Oh, I've still got it. _"So Gil, you know the basics of what I've been doing for the past 20 years. Now fill me in on your life."

Gil bit the inside of his cheek in thought, contemplating what he should say.

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_Again, thanks to all who have reviewed. Should I continue the story? R and R please!_


	4. The World Traveler

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing. All rights go to their respective creators/owners.

_Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed!_

"So Gil, you know the basics of what I've been doing for the past 20 years. Now fill me in on your life."

Gil bit the inside of his cheek in thought, contemplating what he should say.

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"Gil?" Catherine repeated herself, slightly louder, "Gil?"

"Hmmm? Oh. Sorry Cath."

"It's not a difficult question Griss. What have you been doing since you left Vegas?"

Still, Grissom remained silent. _Where do I begin? How much do I tell?_

After several more seconds, Catherine interjected his thoughts. "Gil, c'mon!"

Sighing, Gil replied, "Patience Catherine. I'm just trying to decide where I should begin."

Rolling her eyes, Catherine said, "Why don't you begin with you landing in Costa Rica." She settled back in her seat and crossed her legs at the ankles, preparing herself to listen to Grissom's story.

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"When I landed in Costa Rica, the first thing I did was trek to the camp where…Sara was." The slight hesitation in his voice when he mentioned Sara's name didn't go unnoticed by Catherine. "She was in the middle of a jungle. There were countless species of insects there that I had never seen before, so while she worked on her research, I studied the insects."

Catherine interrupted. "Research? For what?"

"She was studying the potential healing properties of plants."

Suppressing the urge to make a sarcastic remark, she replied, "Sounds thrilling. Go on."

Gil recollected his thoughts. "Her research took just over a year, so we stayed in Costa Rica during that time. Then we relocated to Chile. Santiago, to be exact." He glanced at Catherine to see if she was still listening; she was. "There, I got a job in the zoology department at _El_ _Museo Nacional de Historia Natural_."

At this, Catherine raised an eyebrow. "In English Gil, please."

Grissom obliged her. "The Museum of Natural History. I mostly worked with insects there, so I felt right at home. There are these amazing large fossil dragonflies there. You should see them."

"Oh, I'll put that on my to-do list_."_

Gil smiled wryly at Catherine's sarcasm. "Sara began teaching English as a second language at the University of Santiago. That job allowed her to connect with a colleague who was a well-known botanist and was able to provide some insight into Sara's research."

"There's such a thing as a well-known botanist?"

"Catherine."

"Sorry Gil…shutting up," Catherine said with a cheeky grin. "Go on."

"_Ahem. _We stayed in Santiago for seven years. She fell in love with her job, and working at the museum provided me with a sense of fulfillment. But then….well, we decided to come back to the States."

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Grissom immediately noticed Catherine's eyes darken, and her face turned slightly red.

"You came back to the U.S., and you never bothered to let anyone know? Not even me?!"

Noticing that the passengers in the row across the aisle from them were staring, Gil tried to assuage Catherine's anger. "Cath, settle down."

This request only made her angrier. "Damn it Gil, I thought you'd been traipsing around the jungles of South America for 20 years! _That_ I could live with." Her voice raised an octave. "But you came back to the United States and never bothered to let anyone know where you were?!"

"Cather-"

"I mean _really _Gil! Even if you weren't anywhere near Vegas – hell, even if you weren't near Nevada – you still could've let someone know!"

"Catherine!" Gil said firmly.

His tone caused Catherine to cease her rant. She became aware of the fact that other passengers had been watching and listening to her.

"Cath, we were in Maryland. We were there for two years, and I can honestly say we never had a chance to make it back to Las Vegas."

"You were that busy, huh?", she asked coolly.

"Yes, we were busy. And circumstances prevented us from making the trip." Grissom paused. "Remember why I told you I never contacted you?"

Catherine thought back to their conversation just minutes before. "You said it would have made you miss me more."

Gil spoke gently. "Imagine how much worse I would feel knowing that I could see you, but that I would have to leave again."

Catherine shifted uncomfortably in her seat. _Damn it Gil, you've always had an answer for everything. _"So you said you were in Maryland for two years. What did you do after that?"

"Well, after that I moved back to Santiago, where I resumed my position at the museum."

Catherine nodded her head. _He said "I". Not "we"._

"I continued to work at the museum for three more years. Then, in 2021 I took a job at the Museum of Natural History in London."

"England?"

"Is there any other?

"Just making sure…."

"In London, I headed up the Entomology department. I made sure that the exhibits and attractions stayed up to date and interesting."

"Hmmm. And now?" Catherine repeated the question he had asked her earlier.

"Now, my dear, I am retired."

"Really, Gil?"

Smiling, Grissom replied, "Yes. I worked in London for five years, but I retired when I was 66. So, for the last two years, I have been travelling."

Catherine couldn't resist. "You never travelled to Vegas…."

Knowing she would say that, Gil simply replied, "It's on my list."

She rolled her eyes, but couldn't hide her smile. "So Mr. World Traveler, why are you on a flight to Indianapolis, Indiana?"

"I'm visiting an old friend from Santiago who now lives in Franklin, Indiana. He taught with Sara at the university."

"Ah, I see." A silence fell over Catherine and Grissom, but it was broken by a stewardess who shuffling through the aisle offering drinks.

"Um, miss?" Catherine got the stewardess' attention. "I'll have a screwdriver."

"Make that two," Grissom said.

Moments later, the pair sat side by side sipping their drinks, as they had year before on so many different occasions. Catherine stole a glance at Gil, who happened to look at her at the same moment. This drew a chuckle from both parties. Catherine downed the last of her vodka and orange juice before speaking. "So, I guess I'm gonna have to come right out and ask you, aren't I?"

Grissom looked at her. "Ask me what, Catherine?"

Turning her head so she was staring directly into his eyes, Catherine softly asked, "What happened with Sara?"

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_Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed this story! It's greatly appreciated. I'll keep writing if you keep reviewing, deal?_


	5. Sara

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing. All rights go to their respective creators/owners.

_Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed this story! It's greatly appreciated._

_Author's Note: This chapter is, well, it is sad. I actually cried while I was trying to write it. I hope I don't lose any readers because of the content of this chapter._

"So, I guess I'm gonna have to come right out and ask you, aren't I?"

Grissom looked at her. "Ask me what, Catherine?"

Turning her head so she was staring directly into his eyes, Catherine softly asked, "What happened with Sara?"

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A look of pain crossed Grissom's features. His brow furrowed, and he looked down at his lap.

Realizing she must have hit a sore spot, Catherine proceeded carefully. "Gil, please. Tell me."

Lifting his gaze to look at Catherine, Gil softly said, "It's not a pretty story Cath."

She took hold of his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I don't need pretty. I just need the truth."

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"It all began while we were in Santiago. It was…2015? Yes, that seems right." _Has it really been that long? _"Sara started getting headaches."

"Like the migraines you would get?"

"Similar, yes. Only I think hers were more severe. No matter how many Tylenol she took, nothing would ease the pain. Then, in February of the next year, she had a seizure while at work one day."

Catherine nodded, tightening her grip on his hand. She already had an idea of where Grissom's story was going.

"She refused to go to the hospital for treatment, but the next week she had another seizure. That time, she agreed to see a neurologist." Gil paused, remembering. "She had a three-inch Meningioma."

Seeing Catherine's confused expression, Grissom simplified his previous statement. "A brain tumor."

"Oh God, Gil…"

Grissom continued. "Within the month we flew back to the states so Sara could seek treatment at the John Hopkins Medical Center."

"_Now I know why you were in Maryland," _Catherine thought.

"Sara had an operation to remove the tumor, and most of it removed successfully. Her motor and verbal skills were left unaffected, which was surprising. She began a light course of chemotherapy and radiation to treat whatever remained of the tumor, and we thought she was in the clear." _Thought_.

When Grissom fell silent, Catherine prodded him to continue his story. "What happened then, Gil?" _Do I really want to hear this?_

Clearing his throat, he resumed. "Like I said, we thought she was in the clear. Things were beginning to get back to normal, and we were discussing returning to Chile by the end of the year." Grissom closed his eyes and sighed. He felt Catherine's warm hand give his a gentle squeeze. He opened his eyes and continued. "But by December, her tumor was back, and it was growing rapidly."

Cath blinked back the tears that were filling her eyes. _Oh God._

"She discussed the options for treatment with her doctors, but each one told her that her chances of surviving a major brain surgery again were slim. And she didn't want to take chemo or radiation again…the chemo made her terribly ill the first time, and the radiation left painful sores on her head. Ultimately, she decided that the best thing for her would be to enjoy what time she had left."

Shaking her head in disbelief, Catherine tried to process what she was hearing. _Why Sara? She was so young…so young._

"By April, her speech was beginning to be affected. Her short term memory was all but wiped out by July, and her vision was gone by the end of September. She got worse and worse, withering away…" Gil trailed off. A single tear rolled down his cheek.

"At the end, she talked a lot about her life, and all of the people she had known. She talked a lot about Las Vegas, and how much she still cared for everyone at the lab. Then she started talking about Warrick…she was completely blind, yet she claimed she could see him. She said Warrick was waiting for her…" Grissom's voice broke. "I was holding her hand when she passed. It was early in the morning, just after sunrise…October 19, 2017."

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Catherine sat completely still, tears streaming down her face. She was heartbroken by what Gil had told her. _I always thought Sara and Gil lived happily ever after._

Drawing in a ragged breath, Grissom continued. "There was no ceremony. She wanted things to be kept simple. I returned to Santiago with her cremations. Her only request was that her ashes be spread over the grounds at both the museum and the university." He smiled sadly. "It was as if she felt that by having her ashes spread at the museum, she would remain a part of me a while longer."

Unsure of whether she would be able to speak or not, Catherine decided to test her voice. "G…Gil, Sara will _always_ be a part of you. You loved her."

The two sat in silence for a few moments. Finally, Catherine spoke. "Gil, I need to know something."

"Yes?"

"Did you and Sara…did you ever get married?"

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Grissom looked at Catherine, his eyes narrowing slightly. "No Catherine, we didn't." He couldn't read Catherine's reaction to this.

"Oh." Catherine let out the breath she had been holding. "May I ask why?"

_I already knew you would. _"Sara and I were very much in love, but we've seen countless marriages fall apart. Her parent's marriage, Warrick's, Jim's…yours and Eddie's…"

Bristling slightly when she heard this, Catherine decided to bite her tongue. She flipped her hair over her shoulder and waited for Grissom to continue.

"I think she was afraid that if we got married, that would be the beginning of the end of our relationship." He paused, deciding if he should finish his thought or not. "And, Sara always knew she could never have my whole heart."

"Why would she think that?"

Leaning toward Catherine ever so slightly, Grissom whispered, "Because I gave part of it away to a beautiful redhead many, many years ago."

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_Well, that's chapter 5! I think there will probably be one more chapter left, and then an epilogue…if you want to read it, that is. _

_Reviews are greatly appreciated!_


	6. Gil's Admission, and All the Rest

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing. All rights go to their respective creators/owners.

_I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update. After the way I left the last chapter, I wasn't completely sure where I wanted the story to go. To make up for it, this chapter is longer than the others. Anyhow, reviews are greatly appreciated. Thanks to everyone who has read/reviewed before._

"Sara always knew she could never have my whole heart."

"Why would she think that?"

Leaning toward Catherine ever so slightly, Grissom whispered, "Because I gave part of it away to a beautiful redhead many, many years ago."

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Catherine's jaw dropped out of shock from Grissom's admission. _I never knew he felt that way. _They had been best friends for years; they'd worked side by side. He saw her through her failed relationships with Eddie, Chris, and nameless others. She had watched him share some sort of 'connection' with Lady Heather; she was there as he slowly fell in love with Sara. "Gil, I-"

He interrupted her. "So tell me about Nick. What has he done with his life?"

Still in shock, Catherin struggle to speak. "Gil, you just said-"

"I know what I just said," Gil replied, "and now I would like to know how Nick is doing."

Catherine snorted, but decided to play Grissom's game. _If he thinks he's going to avoid this little confession, he has another thing coming. _"Nicky's doing great. He's day shift supervisor now – has been ever since I left."

Grissom lowered his head, peering over the rims of his glasses. "Nick switched to days?"

"Yep. His wife and kids like having him at home with them in the evenings. Can't say I blame them."

"Nick has a family?"

Smiling, Catherine nodded. "He met his wife, Melissa, while we were at a conference in Denver. She's a stay-at-home mom to their three kids."

"Three?"

"Two girls and a boy. Chloe, Trent, and Kendra. 15, 9, and 6. I'm Chloe's godmother."

Grissom thought about what Catherine had told him. _Nick's a father. Wow. _"What about Greg?" He couldn't even begin to imagine what might have become of his spiky-haired protégé.

"Ah, Greggo." Catherine could tell Grissom was prepared for an interesting story. "I hate to disappoint, but Greg's life hasn't been nearly as eventful as I'm sure you think it has."

"Thank goodness for that!" They both laughed.

"Greg's still a CSI. He moved to swing shift a few years back and took over as supervisor of that shift."

Gil's eyes widened in disbelief. "Greg? Supervisor?"

"Hey, don't look at me!" Cath proclaimed her innocence, "He learned most of what he knows from you."

Grimacing, Grissom replied, "Please, don't pin his behavior on me."

She laughed. "Gil, he really is good at his job. You did good teaching him." She assured him.

Still slightly unconvinced, he asked Catherine to tell him more about Greg.

"Well, he never got married. Always claimed he was too noncommittal. But he's been with his girlfriend, Beth, for eleven years. And they have eight-year-old twin sons named Ace and Finn."

"Interesting names."

"Yeah, tell me about it."

Grissom thought, _"Of course Greg wouldn't give his children normal names." _Then he remembered another important member of their team. "Brass!"

Catherine jumped. "What?!"

"How is Brass?"

"Oh." Catherine settled back into her seat again. "Brass is retired. Remarried. Spends most of his time on the golf course."

This piqued Gil's interest. "Remarried? To whom"

Catherine bit her lip. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Dear, after all we've discussed today, there isn't much I wouldn't believe."

Catherine said in a monotonous voice, "Lily."

He wasn't sure if he heard correctly. "Lily?"

Catherine repeated herself. "Lily."

"As in…"

"As in my mother, Lily."

At this, Grissom began laughing.

Annoyed, Catherine slapped him rather hard on the arm. "I'm glad you find this so amusing."

"Well, I just cannot picture Jim and Lily together." He rubbed his arm where she had hit him. "That will probably leave a bruise."

"Good."

Instead of keeping quiet like he knew he should, he ventured one last jest at Catherine's expense. "Do you call him 'daddy'?"

Catherine wrinkled her nose in disgust. "God, no!"

Gil laughed again at this, this time protecting his arm with his opposite hand in case Cath decided to strike again. "But isn't he a little bit young for your mother?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Yeah, he's eleven years younger. But they've been married for three years and they seem perfectly content."

Grissom smiled. "I suppose that's all that really matters, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Catherine answered wistfully, "I guess it is."

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"So, there are a few more people I hope you can tell me about. Hodges, for one."

"Ah, Hodges. Our favorite lab rat. Well, he and Wendy married-"

"Wendy from the lab?"

"Yeah. They got together a few months after you, um…"

Grissom finished her thought for her. "After I left."

"Yeah." Catherine paused before continuing. "They moved to San Diego and took jobs for the police department there."

"Do they have any children?" Grissom asked.

"Just one, a daughter. Gracie. Luckily, she looks like Wendy."

Gil was still trying to figure out how Hodges and Wendy could have possibly ended up together when Catherine continued speaking. "Doc Robbins retired two years after you left. He and his wife packed up and moved to Florida, but they come back once in awhile to visit. And Ecklie resigned a few years back after admitting to an addiction to prescription drugs."

Gil's jaw dropped open in surprise. "Ecklie?"

"Ecklie. No one has heard from him in three, four years."

"Wow." Grissom was truly stunned.

"I know." Catherine said somberly. "I hated the man, but I never wanted his life to suck completely."

Gil, unphased by her bluntness, decided to leave the topic of Ecklie alone. "Uh, Cath?"

"Yeah?"

He couldn't decide if he should ask her or not. _Oh, what the heck. I'll ask. _"Do you happen to know whatever became of Lady Heather?"

Smirking, Catherine retorted, "20 years and you still can't get her off your mind?"

Grissom cocked his head and looked at Catherine. Seeing that she wasn't going to get a response from him, she sighed and spoke. "Surprisingly, Heather and I became good friends."

"I always knew you two had a lot in common."

Catherine raised her eyebrow. "Such as?"

Grissom just smiled, leaving Catherine to wonder what he was thinking.

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Grissom was still smiling when Catherine finally dropped the bomb. "So, I'm going to assume that redhead you gave part of your heart away to was me."

Grissom stopped smiling. Catherine sensed him tense up. "I mean, unless you had some other redhead waiting in the wings…."

Sighing, Gil spoke. "Cath, you know I was talking about you."

Catherine grinned. "Of course I do. If you felt that way about me, why –"

Gil cut her off. "I won't negate the feelings I had for Sara. She and I did fall in love. But I suppose I've always known from the moment I met you that you were my soul mate."

Catherine tried to speak once again. "Gil-"

"Now I don't expect you to say you've ever felt the same towards me. I understand that you have probably always viewed me as a close friend – a best friend – but never as a potential…"

"Gil! Would you shut the hell up and let me speak?"

Grissom's mouth snapped shut. Catherine, seeing that Gil had finally ceased his rambling, began to speak. "Gil. You and I have known each other for a long time."

"39 years, seven months, nine days."

Catherine pressed her lips together in an attempt to keep from laughing at the exact number he offered. She took hold of his hand looked down to where her fingers were intertwined with Gil's, and she slowly began to rub the pad of her thumb across the back of his hand. "I think it's safe to say that for the majority of that time, I…have been in love with you. "

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_Thanks so much for reading! Now that I know where this story is going, I'm pretty sure there will be one more chapter after this, and then an epilogue._

_As always, reviews are greatly appreciated._


	7. Saying Goodbye & Epilogue

**Author's Note: **I would like to thank everyone who has reviewed and faithfully read this story. It has been very encouraging. I appreciate each review and every reader.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing. All rights go to their respective creators/owners.

**Reviews are greatly appreciated!**

"I think it's safe to say that for the majority of that time, I…have been in love with you. "

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Gil's jaw dropped in surprise. Catherine smirked. "C'mon Gil, you can't be that surprised!"

_Oh, but I am_. "Catherine, you don't have to say that just because I told you how I feel about you."

Rolling her eyes, she replied, "Have I ever been the kind of person who just tells someone what they want to hear?"

Grissom didn't respond. "Gil, I've loved you since before I met Eddie. I _fell _in love with you somewhere between my divorce and you leaving for Costa Rica. But you were always so guarded…so emotionally closed off…"

Finally, Gil spoke. "You mean to tell me that if I had just told you how I felt, we could have been together all these years?"

Cath nodded her head. "I guess so," she said softly. She looked down at her lap.

Suddenly, Grissom gently reached up with the hand she wasn't holding and turned her face toward him. "This is to make up for all of those lost years."

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He softly pressed his lips against hers. She moaned softly and brought her hand up to his gray and white curls, tangling her fingers in his hair. Their kiss was sweet and earnest, but full of years of pent-up desire. Finally, they pulled back from each other, gasping for air.

"Gil, that was…wow."

He chuckled slightly. "Yeah, it was amazing. And to think, we could have been doing that all these years!"

This comment drew a laugh from Catherine, who replied in a sultry tone, "Oh Gil, we could've been doing much more than that."

Grissom's eyebrows rose. "Cath, as tempting as that sounds, I'm not looking to become a member of the mile-high club at this age."

She smiled. "I'm not asking you too. I prefer to keep my relationships slightly more grounded."

Without warning, the voice of the pilot boomed over the intercom, announcing that they would be landing in Indianapolis within minutes.

Catherine looked at Gil in surprise. "Wow. This flight flew by, didn't it?"

He replied in an almost sorrowful tone, "Yeah, it did."

Swallowing the lump of emotion that had formed in her throat, Catherine fastened her seatbelt before turning to look out the window. "Gil, what happens when we land?"

"Well, you'll be going to your hotel to prepare for the conference, and I'll rent a car and head to Franklin."

"That's not what I meant." She sighed heavily. "What happens to us?"

"Ah…us." Grissom wasn't sure what answer she expected. "Do you still want there to be an 'us'?"

Catherine turned to face Gil once again. _I can't believe you had to ask me that. _"Of course I do! Do you?"

Staring in to her tear-filled eyes, he replied, "More than anything."

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Catherine Willows and Gilbert Grissom stood side by side on the sidewalk outside of the Indianapolis airport. There was a taxi already loaded with her luggage that was waiting to take her to her hotel, and the car Grissom had rented sat idly along the curb.

"So Gil," Catherine quickly wiped a tear away as it rolled down her cheek, "I guess I'll see you around then, huh? Maybe on the return flight?"

Grissom shifted his weight from foot to foot. "Well, you'll be going back home at the end of the week. I, on the other hand, will be headed off to my next destination."

"Which is?"

"Upstate New York."

Catherine's countenance fell. "Oh. But you'll eventually come back to Vegas, won't you?"

Gil brushed a blond curl out of her eyes. "Yes, dear. But there are other places and people I have to visit first."

The pair was silent for a minute, until Catherine spoke again. "Well, I think the taxi's been waiting long enough." She turned to face him. "Goodbye Gil." She stood on her toes and lightly kissed his cheek. She quickly climbed in to the cab and shut the door.

Grissom watched as the taxi pulled away. He could still feel where her lips had touched his cheek moments before. "Goodbye Catherine."

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**EPILOGUE: 6 Months Later**

Catherine Willows stood at her kitchen sink sipping a glass of wine, halfheartedly listening to the conversation her mother was trying to carry on over the telephone.

"Jim and I were thinking about heading out to the golf course again this afternoon. We're probably going have lunch at the country club, and you are more than welcome to join us."

When Catherine didn't reply, Lily prodded her. "Catherine. Catherine!"

Lily's tone finally pulled Catherine from her thoughts. "What? Oh, lunch. Country club. Right. Well, actually I have plans this today."

"Catherine Ann Willows don't you try to make up some excuse just so-".

All of a sudden, the shrillness of Catherine's doorbell resounded throughout the house. "Hey, mom? Someone's at the door. I've gotta go. Love you. Tell Jim hello." She hung up quickly before her mother had a chance to say anything further. _Saved by the bell!_

Catherine downed the last of her wine and headed toward the door. The bell chimed again. "I'm coming!" she yelled to whoever was ringing the offensive bell. Straightening her blouse and moving her bangs out of her eyes, Catherine opened the door. As soon as she saw who was waiting for her, she broke into a huge grin.

"Did you miss me?" Grissom quipped, before taking Catherine in his arms and kissing her waiting lips.

The End

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_Well, that's the end of it! Once again, I am very grateful to everyone who has read and reviewed this story._

_However, reviews are still quite welcome!_

_Feel free to check out the other stories I have written! - Kayla_


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